i have never heard of so much rubbish in my life...time to get rid of religion in government...

Time to bypass the rabbinute and have leagalised civil ceremonies for those who dont want to marry in the so called religious courts. Thousands of Israelis are forced to marry abroad each year as the rabbinute dosent consider them "jewish enough" strange they are considered "Jewish enough" to be drafted in to the army and die in the line of duty. Time to seperate state from religion and let people decide for themsleves.

The reason a Cohen cannot marry a divorced woman is one of purity. It is inferred that an married woman is a virgin and a married woman, obviously is not. A Cohen cannot marry a woman who has already been "defiled" because he must maintain his holiness. So regardless of whether or not her previous marriage was religious or valid, the fact that she is no longer a virgin makes her impure and thus ineligible for a Cohen. I am no religious scholar but it doesn't take a genius - these people have no idea what the rulings are based on and yet they are religious leaders.

this is not new there are several such cases found in Yabia Omer by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Shemesh Umagen by Rabbi Shalom Masas former chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

I think you're mistaken. Only a kohain gadol must marry someone who is assumed to be a virgin (never married). A regular kohein may marry a widow, who is clearly not a virgin. The halachot (laws) are a little more complicated than is being described here.

the ignorance of those criticizing this decision is appalling. A cohen not marrying a divorcee has nothing to do with her not being a virgin. neither is a widow but a cohen can marry her. also, those using this decision as a platform for advocating separation of religion and state have no clue as to what is going on here. these people both said they wanted to marry in the tradition. the rabbinical court is allowing them to do so based on sound logic. secular courts often rule on the validity of a prior marriage when deciding on the need for a divorce or the permissibility of a second marriage. where is the beef here other than the fact that some just don't like what the halacha has to say and will criticize it for any reason whatsoever.

With all due respect you are INCORRECT.Please look @Kitzur Shulchan Aroch,chapter#145,section#12.

i did not understand you,sorry.

It is really appalling that those who have no clue either about either the Torah or the facts of this case criticize the rabbinic judges. Here are some basics: 1. A Cohen, other than a Cohen Gadol, may marry a widow. There is no requirement that she be a virgin (other than a Cohen Gadol). A widow typically would not be a virgin. 2. Converesely, it is possible to be a divorcee and still be a virgin. There are two steps to a marraige -- Kiddushin and Nissuin. Today these are perfomed together, but in the time of the Talmud, typically the first was performed and then the woman lived in her father's house for a year before entering the husband's house. This status --- an arusah -- was full marital status, requiring a divorce to be relased from it. If a husband divorced his arusah wife, she is a divorcee who may not marry a Cohen. 3. A woman who has sexual relations with someone she is forbidden to (incest, adultery, a Jewess to a non-Jew) may not marry a Cohen. But a woman who simply had relations outside marriage is not, assuming the individual is not of a forbidden status. 4. It appears that the basis of this decision is that a civil marriage is not a marriage acc. to the Torah, and hence the civil divorce is not a divorce. In the eyes of the Torah, the woman was never married and she needs no divorce. However, since in Israel civil marriage is by law in the hands of the rabbinate, they had to grant her a civil "divorce" to undue the American civil marriage. That does not render her forbidden to a Cohen. (Or at least that is the decision of the court -- debatable, but not crazy.)

1] A woman is NOT defiled by not being a virgin. 2] Aside from Cohen Gadol, a Cohen can marry the widow of another Cohen, even though she is no longer a virgin. It is you who has no idea what the rulings are based upon. You would be better to comment only on matters you really know about.

Lovely, I wonder if "friends" of the happy couple will send this new info - testimony given in court under oath - to the appropriate US department for further review.

It is good you are honest enough to say you are not a scholar. However , you are arrogant enough to crticize scholars or others who are certainly more learned than you. What you write is absolute nonsense and has no basis in halachah. A bit of humility - would certainly be worthy and in place.

Any cohane today can marry a widow. When the Temple stood a Cohane Gadol could only marry a virgin. Your 'facts' are therefore a bit inaccurate, and the learned dayanim/Rabbinical Judges are correct.

It states clearly whom a kohan may not marry. He may, however, marry a widow. A divorcee in Jewish Law means a woman who has received a 'Get'. In the case in question they had no intention of being married except to help her get permission to enter the country. Their intention plus a civil marriage without kosher witnesses meant she did not require a 'Get' because in Jewish Law they were never married.

Reply to #14 one of the type of women that a kohen may NOT marry is a 'easy' woman.The fact that this lady got married for green card would it not be right to assume that she is 'easy'?

To obtain the right to marry under Jewish law, they provided evidence that they violated US criminal law for visa fraud. Are we not also required to obey the laws of the nations we live in?

on her adultery wants to marry someone else and get HaShem's blessing through the Rabbis on a second marriage when she was at fault in the divorce of the first marriage? The Rabbis are WRONG on this one. The woman can not remarry with HaShem's blessing...EVER. She was at fault and both were contemptible for marrying for a visa. But to the Lord, the marriage was valid. Semen vaginal sex with or without a marriage license establishes a union of one person that cannot be broken except by HaShem. Going on to other sex partners is an abomination to HaShem unless all the women are provided for as was the case of polygamy in Scriptures. But to throw away a wife or husband without Scriptural grounds pollutes the land and HaShem's blessing departs from the nation at some point in such rebellions of the people.

basically the rabbinical court says that it is ok to get married to an American citizen for the purpose of getting a work visa (or may-be even USA citizenship) and still marry again under Jewish law as if she were never married before. What is this about? Well once again the Israeli religious authority of Israel is justifying the violation of laws in order to make everyone happy. Most interesting.

I think even every common man knows the intent of the rules, and sees they are being manipulated

It may depend on whether the marriage was consummated.

If they had a civil marriage for the sake of a visa that does not prove the marriage was consummated. Invalidating a non-Halachic marriage without giving a 'Get' is how Reb Moshe Feinstein got around the children of a second marriage being declared mamzerim from the lack of a 'Get'. He said the Reform marriage was non-Halachic and therefore did not require a 'Get'. I am assuming the phrase 'living together' is ambiguous and does not prove consummation.

What difference does it make how they were married. If they lived as married, and were 'seen' as married, they are married whoever did the ceremony. If the bride was married in a Catholic ceremony, then she is no longer Jewish and also needs to convert.

Israel should respect contracts made in America. If they have not voided the marriage of convenience it is a gross insult to a nation that provides billions in aid to Israel, to declare its contracts do not exist to a Jew. It is Racist in the extreme.

With all due respect to you,the lady married the man ,lived together with him for several months,in order for HIM to get green card . What did SHE get out of this.........that what 'FREE WOMEN DO.

....I wonder how much they paid to whom.

Poor haim he is so lost he barely knows that he is a Jew

The rabbis of Israel need to be retaught everything. Their knowledge is limited and skills lacking. A Kohen can marry anyone he chooses. It is bad manners to inquire about their lives, when they do not make such a choice for anyone else. Rabbinical Courts need to correct this .